Bats - Spooky or Lucky?

With Halloween around the corner, I decided to take a closer look at bats and their many different meanings around the world. Here is what I have found:

In Western Culture, the bat is often a symbol of the night and its foreboding nature. The bat is a primary animal associated with fictional characters of the night, both villains like Dracula and heroes like Batman. Among some Native Americans, such as the Creek, Cherokee and Apache, the bat is a trickster spirit. Chinese lore claims the bat is a symbol of longevity and happiness, and is similarly lucky in Poland and geographical Macedonia and among the Kwakiutl and Arabs. ~Wiki

Bats are sensitive creatures. They use echolocation to navigate & find or hunt for food. The majority of bats are insectivorous, feeding on small insects such as the mosquito.

First Day of Autumn

Ah ... the changing of the leaves, the cool crisp air, the 'sun-showers' in the Pacific Northwest all signal that Fall is here! Time to cozy up with the family & get ready for the upcoming holidays :)

Now is the time when I try to think of gifts for my family & friends. Something special that suits them and their interests. Jewelry is always a go to gift for me. With all the carved beads, different gemstones, pearls & shell beads there is so much to make!

I like giving handmade items best & I stumbled across Jamie of Destination Handmade on Etsy. Her shop is full of wonderful handmade items like totes, change purses & business card holders! Get to know her better by reading her blog: Destination Handmade Blog.

International Day of Peace

The International Day of Peace occurs annually on September 21. It is dedicated to peace, or specifically the absence of war, such as might be occasioned by a temporary ceasefire in a combat zone. It is observed by many nations, political groups, military groups, and peoples. ~Wiki

To celebrate International Day of Peace, I have decided to give away one Dove pendant. I created the Dove pendant to honor the need for peace in all areas of our lives. Please see the video above for details on how it was created. There are two ways to enter the give away contest:

1. Follow SilverRoseBlogs (every follower = one entry)

2. Comment on one of our Blog entries (every comment = one entry)

The winner will be randomly selected from the entries on September 27th & will be announced on Monday September 28th.

Luscious Greens to celebrate peace in all its forms! Save up to 50% off Green Beads like Prehnite, Jade, Chrome Diopside, Seraphanite & More.

*No promo code needed

*Limited to stock on hand

*Website only, eBay items excluded

*Sale begins Sept 21 and ends Sept 24 at 11:59PM Eastern (GMT -4:00)

Healthy Living - Visual Treats

While attempting a healthier lifestyle, we here at SilverRoseBeads have realized that sometimes the best treats are visual!

If you are planning a diet or a change in lifestyle, it can be hard to think of a reward. In the past, I have rewarded myself with special treats of the edible variety. This of course lead to an unhealthy way of life. But now with each milestone reached: pounds lost, weekly exercise goal, new dress size; I try to find something delicious for my eyes :) Beads are a ready treat! Making myself something special to remember the milestone serves the purpose of a reward and reminds me when I see it of all my hard work so far!

Another great treat is handmade soap! See Robin's handmade soaps here: Sweet Little Memories. These soaps smell & look so tasty! Robin is a very talented lady!

September Birthstones: Sapphire, Peridot, Agate & Moonstone

September Birthstones: Sapphire, Peridot, Agate & Moonstone

The traditional birthstones for September are Sapphire & Peridot. The modern birthstone for September is Sapphire, the mythical birthstone is Agate and the Ayurvedic birthstone is Moonstone.

Sapphire is a member of the corundum family and can be any color except red or pinkish-orange. Red corundum are Rubies and pinkish-orange are padparadscha. Sapphire has a hardness of 9.0 on Mohs scale; second in hardness only to diamonds!

The cost of natural sapphire varies depending on their color, clarity, size, cut, and overall quality as well as geographic origin. Significant sapphire deposits are found in Eastern Australia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Madagascar, East Africa and in the United States at various locations (Gem Mountain) and in the Missouri River near Helena, Montana. Sapphire and rubies are often found together in the same area, but one gem is usually more abundant.

See our Sapphire, Peridot, Agate & Moonstone Beads and create a handmade gift for your favorite September Babe.

Speaking of handmade ... I have found some lovely handmade decoupage art. See Yana's art here: Dawanda or Artfire & read about her on her blog: Handmade by decoupage art.

Giving from the Heart!

In getting ready for Autumn, I began to think about what matters most to me & my family. When I created The Silver Rose, I wanted to give back to society. I started my business as a fundraiser for charities in the Puget Sound area. Giving back was and still is important to me. Now with eBay and our website, I am able to reach a broader audience. With the help of our wonderful customers, we have been able to raise money for the families of 911 victims, survivors of the Tsunami and the efforts to rebuild New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. Even though we are a small family business, I know that with our customers/friends we have made and will continue to make a difference in the world! Thank you!

Another new friend of SilverRoseBeads, Shelley highlights the wonderful people that make up her giving community on her blog: I'm Still Standing. She writes about how to create inclusive playgrounds on her blog: Confessions of a Playground Princess. Be sure to stop by her blogs and find out more about this amazing woman and her family!

Creating a Necklace with an Extender Clasp

Jasper is said to bring good fortune and new beginnings to the wearer! And I love this piece of Apache Jasper (#8281) The drama of the shape combined with the color demanded to be featured in a necklace. I am constantly changing my mind about the length I need for my necklaces, so creating an adjustable necklace was a must do! For this piece I chose to coordinate the colors for a subtle look.

Up to 50% off Red-Brown Hued Beads

This color category includes Breciated Jasper, Red Diamonds, Apache Jasper and More!

Up to 50% off Blue-Green Hued Beads

This color category includes Kambaba Jasper, Apatite, Blue Diamonds, Blue Fluorite and more!

# No promo code needed
# Website purchases only, eBay items excluded
# Limited to stock on hand
# Sale begins August 29 and ends September 1 at 11:59PM Eastern (GMT-4:00)

Pastels all Year Round!

Pastels in the Fall!?!

Yes! Designers have embraced a pastel pallet for this Autumn.

"Soft blues, pretty pinks and minty greens aren’t only for spring. Designers such as Chris Benz and Marc Jacobs switched up fall’s predictably dark palette with wool beauties in sherbet hues. Wear the soft stuff in eighties-inspired silhouettes like this voluminous coat. Or go "sexy secretary" with a pastel bow-front satin blouse." ~InStyle

Creativity comes in many shades & shapes. New friend, Kim Seals makes jewelry and decorates cakes. Her jewelry can be found on Etsy: RedSeals and be sure to see her blog: Piece of Cake Decorating to breathe new life into your cakes! I love the idea that I can have an image of my favorite person made into an edible cake decoration. What a treat :)

Get ready for Autumn's pastel pallet with up to 50% off Blues, Pinks & Greens

*no promo code needed
*limited to stock on hand
*website only, eBay items excluded
*Sale begins August 25 and ends August 27 at 11:59PM Eastern